Bermudian property manager Gary Perry had traditionally enjoyed land-based sports such as football and cricket but, after his first ocean voyage, taken aboard Spirit of Bermuda, he cannot wait to get back on the water.

At 53, Mr Perry was looking for new adventures in his life, and when he saw a post on social media about Spirit’s tenth anniversary sail from Maine to Bermuda, it piqued his interest. Having recently travelled to Guatemala to help to build homes for the poverty-stricken, he was ready for his next challenge. As he started to inquire, it turned out he knew the chairman of The Bermuda Sloop Foundation, David Goodwin, who convinced him it would be worthwhile.

He ended up having the trip of a lifetime and now he is contemplating joining Spirit on the inaugural Antigua to Bermuda race in May — an event that is hoped to become an annual feature on the island’s sailing calendar.

“I never really ventured out into the sailing scene or did any water sports, but I’d been going on an adventure,” Mr Perry said. “When I saw the post on Facebook, it intrigued me; it was something I wanted to do.

“I called and, funnily enough, David Goodwin, who I know well, answered the phone and told me he was going on the trip.

“He was so passionate about the foundation and what they were doing for children. He said I would be fine, and said ‘just do it’, so I signed up. It was a really intense experience, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Mr Perry travelled to Maine with Mr Goodwin to start the sail, but bad weather hindered the schedule. One benefit was that he got to learn a lot about Spirit of Bermuda’s history because it was built in Maine.

“We had three days before we set sail because of some weather. I got to see the shipyard where it was built and there were still some people there who had built the ship. I also got to meet the crew and then we set sail.

“We each had things to do; I was definitely out of my comfort zone.”

Mr Perry got to enjoy some natural experiences along the way, including a close encounter with dolphins that were racing below the Spirit’s bow, a bird that found respite aboard the ship while at sea, flying fish, a lightning storm, and a day and night of squalls.

“We were working shifts and I was on when the squalls came,” he said. “You could see the lightning in the distance coming towards you. It was a bit of an eerie feeling, but it was an incredible experience. You can encounter great people and you build up a camaraderie. You will be forced to just get on with your work, but there was always someone with experience to help you.”

Mr Perry said one of the best parts of the experience was spending time getting to know his fellow crew members during the long watches. “I was with Bermudians and some tourists from the US, and all had some stories to share as we sat on the deck for the six-hour watches,” he said. “People from all different walks of life confined in one area. You are there observing, and at night the sky opens up with incredible scenery. It was a lesson in astronomy. The captains and crew knew their constellations.”

He also enjoyed seeing Bermuda appear on the horizon as they made their approach to the island after 3½ days of seeing no land.

He said: “We came back during the day. The weather was perfect and you could see Bermuda from a distance — it was like a welcome home. We came in and approached from St David’s.

“I would love to do it again. I would want to take some sailing lessons, and then there is Antigua to Bermuda. I kind of like the feeling of being on a ship at sea taking on some of the elements.”

For information about sailing Spirit of Bermuda, visit www.bermudasloop.org